Teacher's Pet

“Then that’s it, I guess. Even though once last time in this bed would be nice.”

I sat up and moved to dangle my legs over the edge of the bed. “That’s not going to happen,” I told him. “And as much as a decent guy I think you are, sometimes.” I snickered at the remark. “I do have to be somewhere. So, if you could tell everyone we’re friends, and nothing more, that would be great.” I held out my hand for him.

Hesitation crossed his face, looking me up and down as he second-guessed the gesture. “Fine.” He placed his hand in mine. “But if I break up with her, and I’m single again.”

“In the far future,” I chuckled. “When you’ve been married, had children, and decided to disobey your family, then sure, find me.” The idea was ludicrous, but it was also what I saw for him in the future.

“I’d never marry someone because my parents said so,” he told me, tightening his grasp of my hand. “But that’s a verbal contract. You said I could do that if I was single.”

“In the future,” I reiterated, pulling my hand away. “Anyway, you should go. I have to be somewhere.”

“Oh?”

“Yeah. I have a parttime job.”

He looked around the room and glanced at the bag on the floor by the door. “The kitten ears.”

“You know about that?”

“I—I—well I kinda snooped a little last time we fucked,” he said.

It didn’t even matter. I was just surprised that he’d found them and didn’t bother to wear them for me. Not that I was interested in having a kitten more than I was interested in being a kitten. “Well, I have to save money somehow.”

He didn’t pry into that anymore, which I was both surprised and glad about. I needed to leave this place soon. There was a lot of damage control that had to happen at the Manor, especially if I was going to keep my job there.

Showering and forcing myself to go over what I was going to say and how I would deny everything I was being accused of, I finally made my way to the Manor.

There were only one or two guys I knew who were students at Palmdale University. And that was who must’ve snitched. Santi, he was called.

In the dressing room, I made a bee-line directly to him. His golden skin, highlighted to perfection. I stood behind him, staring at his reflection in the mirror. He couldn’t have been any older than twenty, but the way his eyebrow arched as he caught me staring made me wonder if he was much older.

“Yes?” he asked.

“You snitched,” I said.

The dressing room was buzzing with music and chatter as people came in to dress and other came in to undress. Nobody was paying much attention to what we were doing.

“Who are you?” he asked, rolling his eyes.

I leaned in close, my mouth to his ear. “I’m someone you who needs this job. So, if you want to spread anymore rumors about me taking men home from this place, I’d at least hope they were true.”

“Oh,” he chuckled, spinning around in his chair to face me. “You’re the one sleeping with your teacher. That wasn’t even me who said it. So, please, get your facts straight.”

I looked around the room, wondering who else could’ve said something. Nobody else knew much about me here. Santi was the only one from the college. He had to have seen me take him upstairs, and then probably saw me with the professor.

“Then who?” I asked.

“Listen,” he said, popping his tongue. “We might be kittens, but we’re not catty—well, not too much anyway.” He side eyed around the room. “It’s usually the members who complain. If you’re getting paid for a home visit, then props to you. Nobody here is going to say anything. We appreciate the hustle.”

Now I felt awful for confronting him. I should’ve trusted that they wouldn’t have said anything. Since I arrived, these people had been so nice to me. I could only apologize to Santi, and then deflate myself and my huge ego into a nearby chair to get ready for the evening.